Former state legislator pleads guilty to bank fraud

TOPEKA, KAN. – A press release from the Office of United States Attorney Barry Grissom said, a former Kansas state legislator pleaded guilty Tuesday to defrauding Farmers and Merchants Bank of Colby, Kan., of more than $465,000, some of which he deposited in his campaign account.

Trent K. LeDoux, 40, Holton, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of bank fraud. In his plea, he admitted he applied for three loans from the bank, falsely representing that he was going to use all the funds to buy cattle that would serve as the collateral for the loans. In fact, he used some of the money to pay off existing debts and to make contributions to his political campaign account.

Sentencing is set for Aug. 11. He faces a maximum penalty of 30 years in federal prison and a fine up to $1 million. Grissom commended the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Richard Hathaway for their work on the case.